1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to data base management systems and more particularly relates to enhancements for improving the efficiency of secure access to data base management systems.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Data base management systems are well known in the data processing art. Such commercial systems have been in general use for more than 20 years. One of the most successful data base management systems is available from Unisys Corporation and is called the Classic MAPPER® data base management system. The Classic MAPPER system can be reviewed using the Classic MAPPER User's Guide which may be obtained from Unisys Corporation.
The Classic MAPPER system, which runs on proprietary hardware also available from Unisys Corporation and on an industry compatible personal computer under a Windows Server operating system, provides a way for clients to partition data bases into structures called filing cabinets and drawers, as a way to offer a more tangible format. The BIS (Business Information System) data base manager utilizes various predefined high-level instructions whereby the data base user may manipulate the data base to generate human-readable data presentations called “reports”. The user is permitted to prepare lists of the various predefined high-level instructions into data base manager programs called “BIS Runs”:. Thus, users of the Classic MAPPER system may create, modify, and add to a given data base and also generate periodic and aperiodic reports using various BIS Runs.
Within these highly complex network and multi-legacy environments, standardization of security profiling becomes a particular problem. It is known in the prior art to utilize Security Support Provider Interface (SSPI) available from Microsoft. Unfortunately in the current environment, this means that the client and server must ordinarily first establish their connection through a communications library (e.g., sockets). The system then requires a multi-step SSPI handshake to authenticate both client and server. Following the mutual identification, the SSPI functions must be individually called to protect the security and integrity of each message.